Entree: Thailand – Northern Thailand – แกงอ่อม ➤ Kaeng Om (Northern Thai spicy-herbal curry-soup of pork and seasonal local herbs)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 45 min

Total 1 hr 5 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
- 6 cups (1.4 L) water or light chicken stock
- 6 dried red chilies, soaked in warm water until pliable (about 10 g dried)
- 4 cloves garlic (about 12 g)
- 4 shallots (about 60 g)
- 1 tsp (5 g) shrimp paste (kapi)
- 2 stalks lemongrass, white part sliced thinly and bruised (about 2 oz / 55 g)
- 1 thumb-size piece galangal, thinly sliced (about 0.5 oz / 15 g)
- 6 kaffir lime leaves, torn
- 1 cup (150 g) bamboo shoots, sliced
- 1 cup (100 g) long beans or green beans, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
- 1 medium tomato, cut into wedges (about 5 oz / 140 g)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice or tamarind water to taste
- 1 tsp (4 g) palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (15 g) fresh cilantro leaves and stems, chopped
- 1/2 cup (10 g) fresh Thai basil or culantro (if available)
- Oil for pounding/sautéing equivalent to 1 tbsp (15 ml) if using a pan
- Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Make the spice-herb paste: drain the soaked chilies. In a mortar and pestle or small blender, pound or pulse the chilies, garlic, shallots, and shrimp paste to a coarse paste. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, bring the water or stock to a gentle boil. Add the pork pieces and simmer for 10 minutes, skimming any foam.
3. Add the bruised lemongrass, sliced galangal, and torn kaffir lime leaves to the pot. Stir in the chili-shallot-shrimp paste and simmer gently for 15 minutes so the pork absorbs the aromatics.
4. Add the bamboo shoots and long beans and continue to simmer until the pork is tender and the vegetables are cooked, about 8–10 minutes.
5. Stir in the tomato wedges, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce for saltiness and lime juice or tamarind water for sourness. Add salt only if needed.
6. Remove from heat and fold in the chopped cilantro and Thai basil (or culantro). Serve hot with steamed rice.